An integrated circuit (IC) package is used to electrically couple an IC die to external components and circuitry. Conventionally, electrical contacts of an IC die are coupled to electrical contacts of an IC package, which are in turn electrically connected to external contacts of the IC package. The external contacts of the IC package may comprise pins, solder balls or other types of contacts arranged in any suitable pattern.
The external contacts of an IC package may be mounted directly to electrical contacts of a substrate such as a motherboard. Alternatively, sockets have been devised to removably attach an IC package to electrical contacts of a substrate. For example, electrical contacts of an IC package may be removably coupled to first contacts of a socket, and second contacts of the socket may be coupled to a substrate.
In order to ensure a good electrical connection between package and socket contacts, some architectures require the application of a force to bias contacts of the socket against corresponding contacts of the package. This force may result in potentially damaging tension loads on the IC package, the socket, the package/socket interface, and/or the socket/substrate interface.